How many books do you have?

It's not surprising that I am looking for software. Now with more experience, I want a SaaS or software-as-a-service applications. Forget the "I want the application stored on my computer". I want it in the clouds.

So how many books do you have?  Do you end up with duplicates?  I have lots of lace and crochet books and it's difficult to get them catalogued for reference purposes, good insurance list, and to be able to search them for 'stuff'.

I came across this company that makes an on-line library for your collection(s). http://connect.collectorz.com/ check them out! No matter your collection - be it books, movies, and even mp3s, you can have a hosted inventory of your collection.

Ok - it's the geeky side of me :) When you can find a solution that will assist in keeping order in life - then this is great so far, great price!

If you'd like to see my collection so far .... Lace Books is the link.

Studio Time at Jill's

Since mid-April, Jill has been hosting studio time at her home.  Studio time is time to work on your lace projects.  Of course you can stay at home and work on your projects, yet it's the comradery of lace makers and the sound of the bobbins clicking that make the cross-twist-cross go quickly.

Studio time is also lesson time, time to look at different patterns, and time to "brag" that you finished another piece.  Jill just completed another small motif that will fit in a beautiful silver coaster.  It is truly beautiful and exquisitely made.  I few weeks ago I was attending and actually started a small project.  More on that later.

We are ending studio time for the summer and will resume in the fall.   The next CT Lace Days will be held over 4th of July weekend at Barbara M's home.

PS the bobbins pictured are made from bone and hand painted - they are beautiful!

Blanket

Yes it is, Round 4 of Shelby's blanket is complete.  I've been carrying it around the last couple of weeks along with two other projects as I move to continue to complete all those 'unfinished' projects'.  As each of them become complete, there is an amazing sense of accomplishment yet there is something more, a chance to be more creative.

Last night was no different.  While I was awaiting the begining of the performance of Pilobolus at the Riverfront under the stars, I was able to complete the last of the round 4.  It's been some time since I've been working on it.  Like all of us, many events pop up, tasks that should be a quick few hours turn into weeks of effort.

So on to round Five - a raspberry color is going to be added.  I was so exceited last evening, upon return home, exhilarated from watching Pilobolus, I began the raspberry round.  After this round, there are two more before the final round that will join all the squares together. 

Hmmm I wonder if I'll be able to begin the last round before the middle of next month?

Creative Time

A few more days at the Studio.  It is coming along and KC and I are quite pleased.  In between all that is on my schedule and the grueling task list I have set for myself, I find time for creativeness. 

I found this article at ZenHabits on how creative people get to be creative.  It is great and speaks that creative time is about the "quiet time" and the "particiation time".  Somewhat opposites yet the to activities balance one another out.

This holiday weekend will have some creative time carved out.  Will you make time?

The Studio & some lace

Last weekend was just great.  My neighbor's son, Aaron, came home from college and was available to assist me on moving some of the furniture in the studio.

Previously I had gone through much of the credenza, at right, and emptied it of projects and unrelated items.  Some of the projects are on the top as you can see.  The three baskets underneath - bonus.  It's a bonus as I found the perfectly sized scraps of wood in the garage that would lift up the credenza just enough so the baskets could be slid under it.  Of course Arron did quite a bit of the lifting.

This past weekend I worked on sorting through the patterns and books about crochet in the other book case.  Nice to get the books somewhat catagoriezed.  It does make it easier to get inspiration.  I even had some time to go through and clean up my stash of finished project sheets and notes.  Now it is on to the other corner of the room.  Next weekend may have more accomplishments and successes.

By the way, I've completed 6 of the crochet projects of the 21 since April 25th.  There will be pictures soon!

 I did begin a new lace project last week.  Since I am making progress with the crochet and studio room , I would like to make this project as a gift.  Jill has been having Tuesday night get-together to lace at her home for two hours.  So what a perfect time!  I took an old pillow with me, took off and abandoned an previous project that just wasn't cutting it, made the pricking, wound the bobbinsand began.  Wow - I'm smiling.

NELG Lace Retreat

The first weekend of May was NELG's Lace Retreat Weekend.  It begins late on Thursday, then all day Friday & Saturday and concludes Sunday after lunch with classes or just for retreating!  We have been at the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center for quite a few years.  It's in Wareham MA on a cove of Buzzards Bay just before Cape Cod.

I took part in just retreating once again this year.  It was great - I took some projects (from the Plan) and went up by early Friday evening.  Accomodations were just lovely, weather was wonderful and most of all, it was those lacers that attended that make it just great.  You can't imagine the amount of creativity that was there on the weekend.  Thank you to everyone!

Next year is all ready booked so mark your calendars, it will be the third weekend of May.  I'm looking forward to the change in the dates as I will most likely be rested enough from tax season to take a class!  Unfortunatley I will not be able to study with Jeanette Van Ord.  This year was her last year that she will be coming (from  Netherlands) to teach.  She has been teaching for the last twenty years and so many students have learned so much about lace from her.  We will miss her!

Holly Van Sciver was our vendor and the other teacher.  She gave a great presentation on Saturday night about Lester Lace that came about at the time when the lace industry was failing and hand made lace was becoming history.  It was truly facinating and informative.

Before we knew it, it was Sunday breakfast.  The silent auction concluded and we made over $300 to help out our group.  I came away with some old IOLI magazines and assorted items to help out the lace corner of my studio.  I did purchase additional bobbins and a couple of books on tape lace from Solivinia. 

Looking forward to the plans for next year.  One item I've been thinking about is either getting there a day in advance or staying an extra day after.  If you are looking for a place to take an individual retreat - I recommend the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center as a great place to get away.

My Creative Plans for 2010

About a week or so ago, I began to write my plan for 2010.  My year begins after my busy season to hence it begins the end of April.

One of my items in my plan - get some of those crochet projects completed!  So this past weekend I sent myself to my studio to get a handle on the number of projects I have going.

I began to gather up and set out my unfinished projects. Anyone that enjoys the creative process generally has more than one project on hand. LOL!!! I'll admit to that! I found and agreed to some 21 crochet projects that are in the midst of almost done! I get started because I like the design, or it poses a different stitch I'd like to learn, or it is just different. Often times these projects get put aside as an event will come up and I choose to make an item for that event.
By organizing these projects, I feel somewhat accomplished. I'll be leaving for retreat in a few days and I'm packing some of my projects to work on, several should be completed when I return.

By organizing, I found a few more hooks, found some patterns I'd like to make (new projects!), found some knitting patterns I'd like to translate and we haven't yet spoke about my bobbin lace projects.


I plan to complete all these projects throughout the year.  It's a tall order though I know that with a plan, I'll have a chance to get them done.  Some projects, like Shelby's blanket, I'll be working on each week.  Others like KC's blanket took only a day to finish up. 

During our weekend demonstration of lace making at the Sheep and Wool festival, I took one of my crochet projects and just about completed it. Later on in the weekend, I added the balance of the edging and the tassels. KC wasn't really excited about it (she doesn't like change) though by this morning, she was enjoying her little blanket!

Next to organize - the yarn and thread stash!